Will Book __, Page 369
Proven: Oct. 4, 1848

In the Name of God, Amen.

I Joseph Middlecoff being feeble in health but of disposing mind and memory do make & publish this my last Will and Testament.

I give my body to be buried in a Christian-like manner at the discretion of my friends and my soul to return to God who gave it.

Next, all my just debts to be paid.

I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Patsy all my property of every description, both real and personal for her comfortable support and the raising of my children so long as she shall remain my widow.

It is my will that my son George have the tract of land which I purchased from Pleasant N. Lee and on which there is a saw mill. One-third of the saw mill is mine and the other George‘s. I wish the land and my interest in the mill to be valued and the final division of my property for my son George to pay to my other heirs the valuation of said land, together with my interest in said mill. I wish the line of the said tract of land to commence on a hornbeam corner to my old tract of land and corner to the said tract I purchased from Lee, running thence in a north direction straight with the fence to the corner and for this line to be the dividing line between the two tracts of land.

If my said wife should ever marry, which I do not expect she will, I wish my Estate to be divided between her and my children according to law.

It is my will that my beloved wife Patsy should remain in the quiet and unmolested possession of all my property as before mentioned during her widowhood or her natural life and at her death I wish my property of every description both real and personal to be equally divided between my lawful heirs.

It is my will that it be left to the choice of my son George whether he take the land and the mill as above mentioned. If he does not, I wish it to be disposed of as my other lands and for George‘s interest in the mill being two-thirds to be valued and for George to be paid the valuation by the other heirs when a final division shall take place.

I wish my son George to have entire control of the saw mill and to pay his mother one-third of the proceeds thereof until the final division takes place

and I do hereby nominate and appoint my sons John Thomas and George Executors to this my last Will and Testament.

This 20th day of September in the year of our Lord, one Thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.

Joseph [X] Middlecoff (seal)

Witnesses:

Thomas J. Lee
A. W. Farris

This Hawkins County Will was transcribed by one of the following volunteers:  Audrae Mathis; Gary Fletcher; Betty Mize; Diana Arney; Karen Negron, Kathey Welder.